If You Think You’re Running Out of Time, Let’s Talk About Egg Freezing

'Egg freezing’ or ‘assisted reproduction were not prominent in India but with the advancements in the IVF, these processes are the future of parenthood and infertility treatment. There is a change in the dynamics with cryopreservation of egg cells that support women and their life choices. Now, assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) are gradually gaining more acceptance.

As women start aging, they face different hormonal changes, one of the constant ones being, menopause. Another change that is witnessed in women is as they age, the production of eggs decreases and the eggs produced are less healthy. Due to the poor quality of eggs, miscarriages become inevitable. Different reports and studies have revealed that miscarriage rates can soar as high as 90% in women over 40.

Many women are completing their educations, putting their careers on priority and waiting for the correct time to enter into motherhood.  Goral Gandhi, a leading IVF expert, says,

“A woman’s biological clock ticks with age. It is a well-known fact. Trying for parenthood at a later age might result in difficulty during the process of conceiving and complications during birth.”

If the maternal age is more than 35, then the chances of miscarriages and abnormalities increases. Discussing the risks of abnormalities Goral Gandhi says,

“In some cases, late pregnancy even result in various abnormalities in the baby, after the age of 40 the risk for Down syndrome is based on the age of the mother.” In order to deal with the changing lifestyles, miscarriages and abnormalities,

“The process of oocyte cryopreservation, which is more commonly known as egg-freezing, is a great way to preserve the fertility of a woman. This empowers them by providing a choice to have their own biological child with sperm from a partner, or from a donor, whenever they desire to,” adds Dr Goral Gandhi.

ARTs like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and oocyte cryopreservation, despite being different in their approach, aim for the same result. In IVF, the eggs and sperms are cultured in a laboratory to create an embryo. The developed embryos are then injected back into the uterus in order to facilitate the process of conception.

As egg freezing is gaining professional and regulatory acceptance, it is an effective and safe technique for women who wish to preserve their eggs for when they are in a better position to start a family. Egg-freezing is an effective way of delaying motherhood which is empowering. In order to achieve better results, it is preferred that a woman freezes her eggs while she is aged 32 to 36 years. While there is no upper age limit, studies reveal that the results of egg-freezing are best until the age of 38.

Expert embryologists like Goral Gandhi facilitate women who wish to delay motherhood. With the right technology, combined with the medical skills and effective counseling has transformed assisted reproduction and late pregnancy into a viable prospect.

To go ahead with the process, it is necessary to have an experienced embryologist, Goral Gandhi, a pioneer of egg freezing technology in the country, work closely with her patients studying their family history of premature ovarian failure or early menopause, which can benefit the patients.

Having trained over 300 embryologists across the globe in the technique of egg freezing, Goral Gandhi, says,

“The intent to delay conceiving a baby may vary from finding a suitable partner, advancing age, a failed marriage, focus on a career, etc. whatever may be the reason, assisted reproduction is empowering women to live their life the way they choose to, with financial savings, mental stability and preferable partner.”

IVF and Conception: Insights on the Work of an Embryologist

As IVF gains more acceptance and use, embryologists like Goral Gandhi talk about ensuring healthy conception through Assisted Reproduction Techniques.

IVF has helped thousands of couples across the world conceive, and with newer medical advances, its effectiveness continues to get better. One such recent significant advancement that aims to increase the viability of the treatment further and enhance its effectiveness is segmented IVF. It aims to work on the lines of traditional IVF, except with much more success and safety.

Helping patients improve their chance at pregnancy during an IVF cycle, embryologists play a vital role in ensuring the highest quality protocols to the entire process. Surely for couples longing for children, the embryologists act like a ray of hope, but how do they make test tube miracles happen?

The Critical Role of an Embryologist During an IVF cycle

The process of procreating a baby through assisted reproduction follows strict protocols and seamless coordination between the team of professionals working. In the IVF treatment, an embryologist majorly takes over the process during the phase of egg retrieval.

Goral Gandhi, a professional embryologist, who dedicates her time and efforts in helping patients conceive says, “The ultimate objective of any ART procedure is the birth of a healthy baby which can be achieved through an elective single embryo transfer. Our roles require a great degree of precision and care when it comes to patients’ precious genetic material in the form of eggs, sperms and embryos. The process of embryo selection for the best possible IVF results is critical to the role of an embryologist, as our decisions impact a patient’s success with IVF.”

A pioneer in the league to top Indian embryologists, Dr Gandhi has trained more than 300 embryologists and educated doctors, scientists and embryologists about various aspects of IVF, embryology, and laboratory management. She has been a notable IVF advocate and has discussed the quality practices contributing to performance and success in the embryo laboratory. Dr Goral Gandhi has also established several training programs for practicing embryologists and ascertained guidelines on good practice for IVF laboratories.

Explaining the process and the defined role embryologists play, Evelyn E. Neuber, Ph. DCLD (ABB), Clinical Research Coordinator at the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services at UCONN says, “During egg retrieval, a doctor collects follicular fluid containing an egg from a patient’s ovary and then hands it to the embryologist who is responsible for isolating the egg from the liquid and preparing it for insemination with the sperm; during embryo transfer, the embryologist loads the embryo onto the catheter and hands it forward to do the MD embryo transfer.”

Not only that, but they also perform extended roles by emotionally and medically supporting their patients and offering them the leverage to plan parenthood whenever they want through the process of embryo verification.

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Eliminate these myths to increase the success of IVF

Once a couple starts along with an IVF treatment, there are a lot of doubts and questions which goes through their minds during the same process. Still the main motive always remains to push the success rate of IVF process and this is where a lot of misconceptions and myths need to be eliminated.

There are a lot of myths and facts related to IVF and other assisted reproductive techniques. There needs to be a proper understanding of these procedures to be clear enough about what’s right and what’s wrong. Few myths explained by Goral Gandhi embryologist in Mumbai:

Myth 1: You cannot have control of the IVF process

You cannot have control over a lot of things in life; but you can do your best to have a successful result after a long process of IVF. There are lots of couples who generally think that the IVF process is all about the type of diagnosis and treatments in the process. This is simply not the right way as the overall success of the IVF process is a lot dependent on factors like a healthy diet, body weight, etc which can be checked upon.

You might not be able to check and monitor the treatments and diagnosis but you can always keep a check on the food, you eat and the lifestyle you follow. By maintaining a balanced diet and routine, a person can keep his or her body in shape and this can very much help in the course of the whole IVF treatment.

Myth 2: You should have bed rest immediately after going through an embryo transfer

Another myth busted! Women going for immediate long bed rest after the embryo transfer process thinking that it might improve the chances of the conception need to be corrected. They can resume their normal schedule after an hour of the process and can carry on with their day to day activities like normal. The only thing they should do to avoid any mishap is not going for any rigorous workout or take any unwanted stress.

Myth 3: Eating any specific food enhances your overall chances of getting pregnant

This is another myth that is there with the couples looking for an IVF treatment. As per Goral Gandhi there isn’t any specific food that is known for boosting the pregnancy chance of a woman during the IVF treatment. Although you got to follow a balanced diet which must include superfoods like nuts, green leafy vegetables, fruits and so on. This would not only help in getting a healthy pregnancy but a healthy body and mind throughout the process. Still, there are supplements like folic acid and Vitamin D which are prescribed by the fertility specialist during the IVF treatment.

Myth 4: IVF doesn’t work after the age of 40

Here is the truth behind the fact that IVF process cannot be successful for people aged more than 40.IVF can definitely be opted even after the age of 40 or more. The success rate of IVF treatment is not decided by the age but the health and the state of the reproductive organs of the male and females. Whereas the fact remains that one should always plan for a baby before 35 years of age because that’s when the fertility rate is high.

Myth 5: An unsuccessful IVF cycle is the end for your hopes of getting pregnant

One should not be disheartened after an unsuccessful cycle of IVF. If the first cycle goes waste that does not mean you can’t succeed in the other two cycles of IVF. A person can go around with two or three IVF cycles and that can really enhance their chances of getting pregnant. Therefore, the couples must stay hopeful of getting success out of their treatment and should take all the necessary precautions in regards to their diet and routine in the process for a healthy and a positive outcome.

IVF is definitely the most and successful technology giving the infertile couple's hopes of having a baby. IVF comes with its own set of facts and myths but most of these myths are busted by the fertility experts in Mumbai at clinic Indo Nippon IVF Mumbai headed by Goral Gandhi.

Infertility among couples on a dramatic increase over the years

Infertility is becoming more common in India than most people think. One in seven couples trying to have a baby suffer from infertility. Recent studies also reveal that after a year of trying to conceive, as many as 15 percents of couples are unable to conceive a child.

The study also revealed that after two years, about 10 percent of couples had still remained unsuccessful in achieving a pregnancy. The scenario is dramatically different than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Moreover, infertility is expected to increase in the future. By 2025, almost 10 million couples are expected to encounter problems in having a baby.

“Infertility among couples has dramatically increased over the years. About a decade ago, only two in 10 women would be infertile. The number has now increased to six. Most women in India are unaware of safe clinics, and unethical practices are quite rampant,” said Dr Sunitha, Managing Director of Sumathi Hospitals.

Surprisingly, only 45 percent of couples visit a doctor when they are trying to conceive, and a mere 1 percent of infertile couples seek treatment. To make matters worse, 55 percent of women are not even aware of ovulation tracking products like fertility monitors and 75 percent of men don’t. The crunch of IVF experts and embryologists only adds to the problem.

Infertility among couples is a result of a wide range of factors. Some lifestyle factors leading to infertility include increasing marital age, increased alcohol and tobacco consumption and obesity. Clinical factors that contribute to infertility include increasing prevalence of medical conditions such as PCOS, endometrial tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

With the issues related to infertility on a rise, the nation requires clinical experts to deal with the incumbent cultural stigma as well as the medicine. In a time of dramatic technological changes, while countries like Japan are researching the use of stem cells to create animal embryos that contain human cells, India is preventing assisted reproductive techniques like surrogacy.

According to Goral Gandhi, a Mumbai-based embryologist, the country needs more clinical experts to facilitate assisted reproduction that can aid infertile couples.

Goral Gandhi has been at the forefront of embryology and IVF in India and is currently serving as the Scientific and Laboratory Director at Indo Nippon IVF Bandra Mumbai.

Dr Goral Gandhi also has been instrumental in establishing assisted conception labs – with a focus on better practices in IVF, as well as education in all aspects of embryology and laboratory management.

Infertility in couples doesn’t mean it’s a dead-end for procreation. Assisted reproductive techniques like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), etc are bringing hope to a large number of couples struggling with infertility. All that’s needed is improved facilities and increased availability of assisted reproduction experts in the country.

The practice of embryology taking assisted reproduction to new successes

The maturation of embryos into healthy babies through assisted reproduction isn’t just a typical process but takes time and precision in the hands of embryologists to bring out the desired outcome of IVF.

As assisted reproduction is increasingly being opted as a means to help couples conceive, the role of an embryologist becomes pivotal. Providing intrinsic embryo and patient care in equal measure, embryologists around the world put dedicated efforts to foster healthy growth of embryos.

The practice of assisted reproduction has got staunch support from embryologists around the world, who have contributed towards this breakthrough technology. Some of them are as follows:   

• Dr. Alex C Varghese, Chief Embryologist MSc., is an expert in Clinical Embryology and has initiated many successful training programs in ART, helping design and setting up of many IVF units in India. He is a world-famous medical author and a proactive researcher in Canada.

• Dr. Dhannya Binoy MD, Fellowship in Clinical Embryology, is a reproductive health consultant who has delivered profound work in quality control aspects of the IVF Lab.

• Dr. Goral Gandhi, having done her Masters in Applied Biology, is India’s noted authority in the practice and study of Embryology. Goral Gandhi is responsible for the design and establishment of many successful assisted conception laboratories in India and one in Ghana. She has been helping patients through better treatment practices and awareness around assisted reproduction techniques. Goral Gandhi has offered her expertise in IVF, ICSI, Donor egg IVF, Surrogacy, Frozen embryo transfer, Egg freezing, Segmented IVF.

• Liesl Nel-Themaat, a Senior Embryologist at the IVF Lab Director of the University of Colorado Advanced Reproductive Medicine, has been an active committee member of research biology and ART. She is an IVF Lab Team Leader and Endocrine/Andrology Lab Director and has researched in reproductive lab sciences.

• Dr. Samantha Pfeifer is the Chairwoman of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology and Clinical Reproductive Medicine. She is also a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist and reproductive endocrinologist. Her specialties include in vitro fertilization, ovulation induction and fertility preservation.

The work of an embryologist is mostly behind closed laboratories, where they foster healthy growth of embryos. As a study and practice, embryology has been concerned with the development of embryos and the process of assisted hatching in the same dish where the embryo is destined to continue its development. It is not a typical 9-5 job, rather requires relentless hours to cater to the critical timing needs of the entire process.

As the clinical laboratory provides the closest possible imitation to the natural process of reproduction, it is the work of the embryologists that determines the outcome of the process. “Embryologists are not just doctors merely following a protocol. It takes a certain dedication and passion for the work that we do, whether it is the QC measures that we so vehemently follow or making the best use of patient material to produce successful chance at pregnancy,” explains Dr Goral Gandhi.

Clinical embryologists are responsible for retrieving eggs, assisting with In Vitro Fertilization, maintaining clinical records and running tests on eggs. They often work in hospitals and fertility clinics, but may also perform laboratory work or seek posts in academia.

With such dedicated scientists, each individual’s contribution brings new breakthroughs in approaching infertility. The achievement in fertility care hinges on the collaboration between doctors, patients and the embryologists, who help in realizing the full potential of assisted reproduction and medical technology.

How assisted fertility treatments ensure better reproductive health in developing nations?

Assisted reproduction has been an effective treatment option for couples in overcoming their problems related to infertility and plan their pregnancies better. The number of conceptions ending in a live birth with ART has been ever-increasing, but the treatment remains reserved mainly in developed countries.

 Assisted conception has been inaccessible or unavailable in the resource-deprived countries, but active doctors and scientists in the field are increasingly reaching out to people, helping them get fertility treatments and conceive babies. 

The wide spectrum of ART treatments is now reaching many regions. It has seen development in the developing nations as technological advancements in the sector open its door to provide multifaceted health-care.

There have been several reproductive health experts and doctors in India, working to prioritize the practice and researching of ART. One such leading embryologist and reproductive health consultant in India, Dr Goral Gandhi, has worked dedicatedly to suppress the challenges inherent in clinical skills training in India and to improve the overall ART performance. 

She has played a major role in overcoming the unique challenges faced by the region in adoption assisted conception.

The technology and social restraint posed a challenge for the adoption of treatment, especially in developing countries like India and South Africa, which Goral Gandhi has been trying to mitigate through her original research in the field, as well as educating people and generating awareness. She has also trained more than 500 embryologists and dedicated her career to improving IVF process and overall patient care in developing regions, majorly India.

Further opening about fertility treatments in India, patient outreach and efficacy of therapy show a significant improvement. Anjali Widge of the Population Council, New Delhi reported that there were more than 60 centers offering ART in India, almost all in the private sector. 

As the technology and availability of techniques improve, it is expected to provide a means to extend assisted reproductive technologies, reducing their expense and extending the limit.

Dr. Sonia Malik, another advocate of reproductive health and IVF in India, has been keenly working in the field of ART, introducing adequate physical and diagnostic facilities through optimized laboratories in the country, helping both men and women lead a fuller and better life.

She goes great lengths in helping understand how infertility is still seen as a woman’s condition than a man in the developing countries. Labelling women “childless” underpins social stigma and economic hardship for them. In developing regions, the issue of infertility is still synonymous with inability or incapability. 

Bringing the issue into light, renowned doctors like Goral Gandhi, Sonia Malik, and others, are working to bring accessible infertility treatment in emerging countries and extending patient outreach and education.

EMBRYOLOGISTS AND THE PROCESS OF IVF | GIVING CHILDLESS COUPLES THE BEST CHANCE AT PREGNANCY

In recent times, ART advancements have been nothing less than revolutionary in treating infertility related problems and help couples reproduce healthy babies. Through IVF, numerous couples have been able to conceive and bring their babies into the world. 

That said, the role, need and the impact of an embryologist in an IVF the procedure is largely unrecognized in the world of artificial reproduction.

The success of the fertility treatment depends largely on embryologists’ precision and quality control in the entire process, i.e. from the development of a zygote (fertilized egg) to its maturation. 

The embryologists work to imitate the natural process of reproduction, modeling the process in a safe and effective manner – except with more precision and certainty. With their decision of selecting the most competent and viable embryo, the embryologists are vested with the responsibility of IVF cycle success by producing desired outcomes.

Dr Goral Gandhi, a leading an embryologist who dedicatedly works towards ART and IVF success in India, emphasizes on generating awareness and better opportunities for clinical embryology in India. Moreover, Goral Gandhi has also offered her expertise to more than 500 embryologists in various aspects of IVF, embryology, quality care and management in clinical laboratories.

 While talking about the process of verification in LIFE conference, Goral Gandhi stated the need to further develop embryology in India, which will build tremendous hope for patients by giving them a chance to preserve and extend their fertility through embryo cryopreservation, oocyte verification, etc.

Clinical embryology, both a study and practice has been increasingly pursued in India and worldwide, as increasing number of couples faces the problems of infertility. For embryologists, the embryo is the patient that they are caring for, which could eventually turn into a healthy baby. 

Therefore, they have to carefully evaluate patient materials, be it egg, sperm, or embryo and make crucial decisions about their quality and utilization. Also, the state-of-art technology and advance expertise play an essential role in the success of IVF through building an optimum environment for embryo culture, and embryo freezing.

Reflecting on the need to freeze oocytes (eggs) and embryos as well as make the frozen eggs /embryos viable, Dr. Goral Gandhi strongly supports the practice of egg freezing for fertility preservation in clinics, to help women have a chance to have their own genetic child when they wish to, helping as many childless couples experience the bliss of parenthood. 

Adding to the need for improving oocyte cryopreservation, Dr. Samantha Pfeifer, chairwoman of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine’s practice committee says, “The technology and technique are getting better, and success rates are good.”

Determining the direction which embryo development can lead to, embryologists worldwide sustain and foster the healthy growth of embryos and their eventual culmination into future babies, thus, giving the desired outcome to the entire process of IVF.

Assisted reproduction in Ghana: The Indian at the heart of the country’s IVF centers

Ghana has lately emerged as one of the most preferred destinations for fertility treatments around the world. There are several reasons why cross-border reproductive travel to Ghana remains a popular option among infertile couples living in Ghana’s neighboring countries, and of Ghanaian people living in Europe and the US.

The high quality of treatment and better results offered by the Ghanaian clinics and the circumvention of restricting regulations in the country of residence form the two biggest factors that drive medical tourists from several countries across the globe seeking fertility treatments to Ghana. Lower treatment costs and the availability of matching donor material in Ghana add to it.

However, a major contribution to Ghana’s emergence as a fertility treatment hub has been from the Mumbai-based clinical embryologist Goral Gandhi. 

In charge of the structure and foundation of several active-assisted conceptions labs in India and one in Ghana, Goral Gandhi has an expertise of more than 20 years in the field of IVF and assisted reproductive procedures.

Dedicated to keeping up remarkable achievement rate at all these labs or research centers, Goral Gandhi has had a rather huge impact on the health and IVF sector – taking care of thousands of IVF and ICSI cases and helping more than 3,500 couples expand their families. 

The Mumbai-based embryologist has provided training in IVF to more than 500 embryologists from 18 nations. Goral Gandhi has also trained Embryologists and Clinicians from Ghana for hands-on experience covering all parts of IVF including IUI, ICSI, troubleshooting, verification and laboratory management since 2000. 

Being one of the very first clinical embryologists to bring assisted reproduction to Ghana, Goral Gandhi has set up extremely fruitful Fertility Preservation modules at various labs. Her current research projects are centered on the choice of the most reasonable and ailment free embryo along with the unique conceivable implantation potential using PGD and PGS methods.

IVF treatment and surrogacy used to be two of the least talked about methods of conception topics in Ghana. Despite these medical breakthroughs being a beacon of hope to a large number of childless couples worldwide, discussing assisted reproductive technology had been almost a taboo in the conservative society of Ghana.

Social stigmatization for choosing assisted reproductive techniques to conceive a baby has been a common woe in Ghana. Several couples keep their decision under wraps until the child is delivered. Despite technological advancements, some couples don’t divulge details of their method of conception for the fear of being criticized or shamed by family and friends. 

However, organizations like WHO and fertility scientists like Goral Gandhi are working towards creating awareness and de-stigmatizing the adoption of assisted reproductive procedures for conception amongst the people in Ghana. For people living in other countries, Ghana remains a fertility haven due to the availability of quality fertility treatments

How quality control during human embryo culture leads to improved IVF outcomes

Quality management in IVF clinics today, focus on creating an optimal environment for embryo culture. Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) in clinical laboratories increase the chances of success of the IVF outcome, and embryologists play a crucial role in quality assessments to make sure the highest standards are maintained.

Working to imitate the natural process of reproduction, except with more precision and certainty, an embryologist is directly involved in helping couples conceive their children – by ensuring healthier embryos, proper embryo implantation as well as assisting with In Vitro Fertilization, maintaining clinical records and running tests on eggs and embryos. That said when it comes to quality maintenance, there are plenty of crucial decisions left to embryologists.

Goral Gandhi, an embryologist in India who has established several training programs for practicing embryologists and ascertained guidelines on good practice for IVF laboratories discussed the quality practices contributing to performance and success in the embryo laboratory.

“Q C is a rigorous process that is performed in all IVF labs. The guidelines are not restricted to the clinical laboratory protocol but cover every aspect of the process including staff, equipment and safety, quality control, and medical training. However, the onus is majorly on the team of embryologists that carry out the entire procedure. I always lay extra emphasis on good laboratory practice and train my embryologists to perform their work with the utmost diligence, with the greatest of their abilities,” explained Goral Gandhi.

Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) today have evolved into branches that not only help parents conceive but also treat specific hormone-related illnesses. It does not only refer to IVF but also the treatments tailored to patients’ unique conditions.

Another embryologist Evelyn E. Neuber, Ph. D., HCLD (ABB), Clinical Research Coordinator at the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services at UCONN, tells us about the quality protocols followed in a clinical laboratory.

“I verify and document countless Q C measurements, including the room temperature, the pH of the media used to grow the embryos, lot numbers of reagents, microscope temperature settings, and gas tank levels. Only when I am 100% certain that everything is in optimal working order do I open the IVF lab for patients,” she said.

Embryologists work dedicatedly on maximizing the chance of success of IVF and minimize risk. With a wide range of new reproductive options available to patients, the quality assurance and control has become a mandate to help achieve the desired outcome, and maintain the best of health for patients and their offsprings.

“We critically work on quality parameters in terms of checks and protocols we follow in our lab when it comes to equipment, pressure modules, quality control of culture medium and disposables, handling of oocytes and spermatozoa, evaluation of results such as fertilization rates, cleavage rates, embryo quality, pregnancy rates, implantation rates, survival the rate for frozen embryos, etc,” added Goral Gandhi.

Performing all the core embryology techniques – eggs retrieval, ICSI, biopsies, and cryopreservation, and quality controls, the work of an embryologist, thus, determines the efficacy of the IVF process.